8 published records
Business licenses and permits in Ramsey County, Minnesota
Ramsey County, Minnesota, seat Saint Paul; population 542,015 (U.S. Census Bureau 2024 estimate). Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health's Environmental Health division licenses food establishments, mobile food units and food carts, food stands and public swimming pools in every Ramsey County city except Saint Paul and Maplewood, under the county's Food Protection Ordinance and Public Swimming Pool Ordinance; it also licenses hazardous waste generators throughout the county under the Hazardous Waste Management Ordinance. Property Tax Services issues precious metal dealer licenses (Minn. Stat. §325F.733) and transient merchant licenses (Minn. Stat. §329.11), and the county's Child Care Licensing unit licenses family child care in homes. Environmental Health fees come from the 2026 column of the county's 2026–2027 fee schedule as adopted by Resolution B2026-018 (January 27, 2026). Saint Paul, Maplewood and the county's other cities are separate governments, and each city's own business licenses, zoning and building permits stack on these county records for businesses within it.
What are you opening in Ramsey County?
- RestaurantsFull-service restaurants carry the densest permit load of any small business: food, fire, occupancy, waste, and usually alcohol.See the full permit list
- Coffee shopsCafés are permitted as food service establishments even where no cooking happens, and the plan review step catches most operators by surprise.See the full permit list
- Retail storesRetail is the lightest common permit load, but the sales tax permit and the certificate of occupancy are non-negotiable in every jurisdiction.See the full permit list
- Salons and barbersPersonal care is licensed at state board level as well as locally, so the shop license and the practitioner licenses are separate obligations.See the full permit list
- Food trucksMobile food is the one category with no certificate of occupancy — but it gains a commissary agreement, and the unit itself is inspected rather than the premises.See the full permit list
- Fitness studiosPrepaid memberships trigger state registration and often a surety bond, which catches operators who budgeted only for the fit-out.See the full permit list
- Childcare centresThe heaviest permit load of any small business: state agency licensing, per-person background checks, and a stricter fire standard than ordinary commercial use.See the full permit list
- Contractors and tradesLicensed at state board level rather than locally, and the only common category with no premises permits at all — the bond is usually the long pole.See the full permit list
- Auto repair shopsOrdinary commercial permitting plus an environmental layer: waste oil, solvents and stormwater are each registered separately.See the full permit list
- Veterinary clinicsA state facility permit, controlled substances registration at both state and federal level, and a medical waste manifest — none of which a general business license covers.See the full permit list
Who issues business permits in Ramsey County?
Permitting in Ramsey County is split across 3 agencies we hold records for, with tax registration handled at state level. No single office issues everything, which is why an opening usually means filing in several places rather than one.
Ramsey County issuing agencies
- Saint Paul – Ramsey County Public Health — Environmental HealthFood establishment, mobile food unit, food cart and food stand licenses in Ramsey County cities other than Saint Paul and Maplewood (Food Protection Ordinance) · Public swimming pool licenses in Ramsey County cities other than Saint Paul and Maplewood (Public Swimming Pool Ordinance) · Hazardous waste generator licenses within the county (Hazardous Waste Management Ordinance)5 permits
- Ramsey County Property Tax ServicesTransient merchant licenses (Minn. Stat. §329.11) · Precious metal dealer licenses (Minn. Stat. §325F.733)2 permits
- Ramsey County Child Care LicensingLicensing, training and monitoring of family child care in homes and settings other than child care centers1 permit
Other Minnesota jurisdictions we cover
Commercial Compliance Hub publishes information, not legal advice. Requirements change — confirm anything you rely on with the issuing agency before you file.